Custom Billet Shift Knob for Toyota Tacoma (2-1/4" diameter). ***Utilizes factory boot.***

Also, saw your Ti...that's one sweet knob. I'm tempted to go back and upgrade mine, but need for other things. Maybe when @7r41lbr34k3r gets back up and running (and I hope this change works out for you!) I'll have more play money.

 

HA, previous owners...they all suck lol. Have fun tho!

Ya, don't mean to rub it in, but the titanium really is everything I thought it could be. Far different feel in the hand than the solid Al. I don't know how to explain it so it would translate properly...just you can FEEL the exquisitness of the Ti when it's in your hand...

Also, black truck it a pretty hot summer so far...it does not store the same amount of heat that the Al did. It'll be interesting to see how it withstands the cold in winter...the Al got pretty cold but warmed up fast enough

 

Jeez, I go out and get drunk for once in a good while and old friends blow up this thread.

The lathe I purchased is retailing for about $2100, but that is the new price after the 25% tariff. I somehow got in before the tariff took effect.

I need the torque of their 1236 gear head lathe(double the price), but I have some convoluted reasoning as to why I went lighter. Ultimately, I will need that torque to help offer the same product line, but I might be able to score an old WW2 era machine for that. I just needed something easy and relatively cheap to convert to CNC to produce this particular contour without resorting to 1945 methods that my grandfather taught me when I was way too young.

I guess that is more succinct than convoluted, whatever. #drunkpost

 

Ha, I did tell you about this, right? I don't need a $30k ray gun (I do have access to one) to inform me of the composition of titanium. You can literally feel it, as it never really reflects the ambient temperature that one would expect.

Unless you grew up living in an A-12 or SR-71 (I did not).

 

I declined the aforementioned job offer, but took another.

Now I'm going to mainly program Mazak Variaxis 500 and 510 5-axis machines, 2 Mori Seiki horizontals and probably a bunch of mazak mill/turns.

They have a Mazak Integrex, which is on my bucket list to get fluent on, but I will probably have to wait until they get a 2nd one.

The kicker, my commute just went from 67 miles one way, to 1.7. Better air up the tires on my Trek.

 

Excellent, grats again...now let's cut to the chase...

5 axis you say?

 

Yup.

https://youtu.be/XmB3bRyhoj8

 

That's what can do some elaborate engraving? That kinda 5 axis?

 

Yep, but I seriously doubt they will want me putting knobs on there.

I'll ask once I get it singing for them, but I really don't think this thing will ever be free to use for personal stuff. It's booked up for 2 months right now. They will probably take more jobs for it with me there, because their sole programmer is spread pretty thin right now.

 

I like hearing that "pfft not likely to happen" (I paraphrase of course) cuz that Ricklates to..."gimme a few months" lol

 

Congrats again Rick!
Looking forward to see what you can do with the new toys.
I hope they let you play with them on your own time.
Good luck man!

 

Thanks! Once they get confirmation of my abilities by seeing it with their own eyes, I feel like they will be very willing to keep me happy (as long as I am reasonable about it).

 

@tacoguy88
@PROseur

I feel bad about jacking that thread, so I will reply here. This got pretty long winded, but I am really bored right now.

I am assuming you saw the pay structure in the OP of the thread, and not much has changed. Even the V2.0 MT knob that I posted (with the matching collar) will follow the same pay structure. Although, I may have a little bit of an upcharge for stainless and Ti collars to account for special tooling requirements and/or wear. There is less milling time for 2.0, so it is a wash when considering that and additional collar material (Al or Delrin) in most cases.

I will be working on them behind the scenes, as you can see I have plenty of blanks to work with and even more raw material that isn't shown. Unfortunately it is a weird time for me, because the hard drive on the mill computer in my barn just took a shit (have a replacement, just need to get it done). I am also in the process of changing jobs, which means that I lose my unlimited lathe access. I did order a lathe for the home shop, which is about 8 weeks out to delivery.

I have no idea how the new job will feel about my using their machinery for personal items, but usually people are pretty chill about it as long as it doesn't interfere with production. I almost negotiated that into my contract, but my gut told me that I should just leave it alone until I am there for a few months. I start there on 8/20, FWIW.

In the final weeks at my current position, I will try to finish everything you see in this drawer ... but I do not think it will be possible since I may have to do a lot of training before I leave. The only way I see the machines being free over the next few weeks, is if they agree to keep me on as a freelance programmer. They will certainly need my support to keep my Macro B developments in order, because the operators keep messing the editable portions up at the console.

 

Congrats, Rick.

That change in commute is going to be great.

 

I can't even wrap my head around having 0 commuting costs, and being able to go home for lunch every day. Right now I pay $20 a day in tolls, and use about 30 gallons of fuel per week. My tires will probably dry rot before they wear out. Actually ready for a new set right now, about 70k on my Cooper AT3's. Still some life remaining, but they are noisy and i clearly need an alignment based on tread wear patterns.

I took a paycut, but will still come out ahead not having to pay $10k a year for commuting/wear & tear.

 

congrats
Lots of changes!

Once you settle in, will order it up

 

The Taco doesn't sweat miles, but you'll be extending the life if it also. Commuting is damn expensive.

We have a variable toll section on the way to my soon to be ex-job. The one saving grace is that it is free for bikes. Max toll is $10 for just a few miles. Peeps seem happy to pay it even though it is technically illegally operate them the way the law is written. Just messed up.

Also, if we head into another gas crunch. . .

 

Ugh, tolls ...

It used to cost me $1.94 to cross the bridge back into PA, super deal. Then it went up to $3, okay it was a long time coming.

Then the PA turnpike knocked down their toll booths (no toll, just get your ticket there into PA) for a gantry style plate reader just after the bridge. I was excited, because that backed up pretty often. Then I found out they were charging $5.00 to get over the bridge. I thought, ah crap ... now it's as expensive as most other bridges going into Philly. The killer, NJ never got rid of their $3 toll so now it cost me $8 to go home. I have no idea why I assumed NJ would stop taking my money, haha.

The only other feasible option for me is a different bridge ($5), but it's a draw bridge with regular openings and back ups. Basically 2x per week, guaranteed. Not only that, there is a rail line just before it, so this even makes the traffic worse on the way home.

From $3 to $8 in 2-3 years or so ... just to cross a bridge, then another $6 to get to my exit.

 

Hahaha! I could punch a baby over it also.

Bikes are required to have transponders. They are all passive and sensitive to location. The DoT-recommended location is on a headlight. I brought both bikes to a customer service center since one had lights smaller than the transponder and the other was all metal including mesh light guards. We found spots that would scan with their handheld tester. In the end, it was two hours wasted. I racked up 19 erroneous tolls in about 18mo and got tired of telling the same story to the CS peeps. I printed new plate mounts for both bikes that hid the plates from the cameras but keep them visible to folks behind the bikes. So, either the transponder works as it should or the camera peeps can't see the plate. No tolls since including the one time that I tried a toll bridge with my hand over the transponder. The cops don't care since a bike with or without a transponder can be in the lane. Nothing to enforce.

I won't even get into the weeds that a camera reviewer should be able to tell that a m/c plate is on a damn bike, not to mention that bikes have a different plate number scheme here. FAAAAAAQQQQ!

Folks in other states that have powered transponders have said they have no issues. Typical stupid planning and a corrupt DoT / Transportation Committee here.

The other part is that we are out $30 for the account setup and initial transponders. My wife racked up a toll just once in nearly 3yrs. Friggin' waste.

The one funny in all of it is that about a week after I got the Taco, one of the grassroot folks fighting the system had the local news over to interview me. They were in a rush, so there I was with the Taco. They even did a little drive around with me.



On a positive note, the freaking knob is still making me happy. I swear it makes shifting better and smoother.

 

We only have an ancient Le Blond at work, and it's never used for anything. We farm out most machine work anymore and focus on welding and cutting in-house. I'd love to learn some of the finer points of machining before they become a lost art.